472 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[January i, 1891* 
While on the subject of Ceylon cocoa, we have just 
been favoured with some of the most recent statistics 
relating to the consump'ion of cocoa in England. 
Although a great aulhority gives the average con- 
sumption as five ounces, per bead, it is now ascertainel 
to amount to eight, or, to be more precise, in 1889 
it reached 18,404,164 pounds. This is not a large 
total lifter all, but marks progress. In 1820, duty 
was only paid on 267,000 pounds ; in 1876, on 9,900,000 
pounds. In other words, the consumption has doubled 
in fourteen years, and should the present rate of pro- 
gress continue another fourteen or fifteen years, the 
trade will roach, for the first time, very respectable 
dimensions. 
Considering its fragrance and nutritive properties 
(for all preparations of cocoa are a true food, and 
valuable as tissue restorers and force producers), 
perhaps the small consumption is surprising. For 
our part, we piefer well-prepared cocoa to all 
other beverages, while indigestion, which is so fre- 
quently caused, or, at any rate, aggravated by the too 
liberal use of hot tea, does not follow cocoa. Tbe 
cocoa trade is in a healthy and active state, and the 
wants of the general public are not likely to be ne- 
glected as long as so many leading English firms are 
busily engaged ministering to the national needs. 
One of the bast uses to which Ceylon chocolate can 
be put is to eat it when on tricycling or pedestrian 
excursions. We have it most convenient, and wo 
believe that cyclists, who are often at a great loss 
for a portable and palatable food which they can eat 
without dismounting, will more and more trust to 
chocolate as their sheet-anchor. Long before our atten- 
tion had been directed to the subject by a circular 
we were reading the other day, we had found out 
the value of dry and satisfying food when many 
miles from home and pressed for time. — Ilardwicke’s 
Science-Gossip. 
^ 
The Soet op Tea we Drink. — £1 lOs 6d, 6s 
3d, 3s 8d, and 2s 8|d— these were the prices per 
pound, as sold in Mincing-lane, without duty, &o., 
of the teas that a “Star” man was drink ng 
yesterday. It was in the London establishment oi 
Messrs. Forster, Green, and Co. the big Dublin 
teamen, that this extravagant spree on tea took 
place. The primary object of our man’s visit was 
L sample the £1 lOs Gd tea, which was sold for 
T2 to a Leicester tea dealer, who is now retailing 
it at £3 3s. Some of it was sold in loz. packets 
at 5s per oz. There were only 151b of this tea in 
the world, and there may never be such tea again. 
Previous to this no tea was ever sold in modern 
times in Mincing-lane at more than lOs or 12s a 
pound. This £1 10s 6d tea, therefore, has fairly 
eclipsed everything. It came from the Heathersett 
estate, Ceylon ; and though this and other estates 
might’ supply us with such tea regularly, they are 
not likely to do so, as the cost is too great. In 
the first place it destroys the tea plants, the leaves 
being gathered just when they are beginning to 
sprout, and in the next place every one of these 
very tiny leaves is gathered by hand. As for the 
appearance of tbe tea, it is like very fine cut 
tobacco of a light colour. To an ordinary observer 
it doesn’t look like tea at all. And as for the 
taste— well, to the amateur, it is disappointing at 
first but after you taste another— say 6s 3d per 
pound— tea and then go back you begin to think 
there is something in it, after all. A good many 
points about the liquor and the leaves and the 
clouds the milk formed when added were explained 
by Mr. Holloway, Forster Green’s London man, to 
our representative, who, however, was unable to 
follow him into the subtle distinctions he drew. 
One point of public interest he gathered, viz., that 
in London toatasters infuse the tea exactly six 
minutes ; in Dublin, owing to the difl'erence in the 
^ater, the time is eight minutes.— /iome Pai>er, 
Mariawattb Again. — We learn that the yield of tbe 
now famous 100 acres of Mariawatta estate, which has 
given year after year 1,000 lb. or more of made te.a 
per acre, has been, up to the end of last month, 1.100 
lb p"r acre lor tbe current year. This highly satisfac- 
tory record prcsent.s a hopefnl oatlook for tea on suit- 
able land, while it is sl.'o proof of what high cullit 
vation c m do. True, Mariawatte’s are not to be gol 
for the asking ; but the evidence of the fruits of libera 
cultivation should not be lost on proprietors, the 
majority of whom seem content to believe in the hardi- 
ness of the tea plant and to get what they could from 
it, without giving it hick some of the profits, in the 
lijpe of a still larger income. We congratulate the 
proprietors and tbe superintendent on the continued 
prosperity of Mariawatte — Cor., local “ Examiner.” 
Disappearino Cinchonas. — At the sitting of 
November 5th of the Paris Society, of Pharmacy 
M. Landrin, the great dealer in barks, and a good 
authority on cinchonas, presnted a number of 
specimens from South America. One was a culti- 
vated Bolivia Calisaya in very large pieces con- 
taining 3 per cent of quinine. It seems in some 
countries like Greece and other parts of Southern 
Europe they will pay lOf. a kilo, for bark in long 
slices, and offer only 4f. for smaller ones, which 
are just as rich in alkaloids. M. Landrin also had 
Guayaquil uncultivated red bark, containing 95 per 
cent of alkaloids ; quills f om Sou'h America veined 
like a serpent’s skin; and other rare specimens. 
He added that tiacbonas are now b-ooming smroi 
-in their native country ; some sorts will no doubt 
soon disaiipe.ir aKogether. So, while they are still 
to be had, it is well to present specimens to tbe 
college collections for the benefit of pharmacy 
students, for which kind attention M. Planchon 
thanked the donor in the name of the college. — 
Chemist and Druggist, Nov. 8th. 
Preparing for the Winter Moth. — Mr. J. 
Mastjr.s writes to the Evesham Standard a.% ioWo’v/r, ■. — 
“ As the ee tson of the year is approaching when the 
winter moth will be making its appearance, a few 
hinis, by way of reminder to fruit growers, may not 
be out of place: — 
“1. The wingless female moth will be soon making 
its ascent of the tree, to deposit its eggs for the future 
brood of caterpillar,”. 
“ 2. The be-t proved method of intercepting the 
moth is to band the trees with cart grease. Buy 
none unless guaranteed as free from tar. Numbers 
of young trees have been killed by injurious com- 
pounds sold as grease. 
“3. Do not use oil in the grease to make it thin. 
If the daub is stiff, it will last tbe longer. It is 
important to have it sPeky, and look after it and 
keep it so, otherwise the moth will creep over it. 
“ 4. If trees are young and the bark is smooth and 
tender, some grease-proof paper should be tied next 
to the bark of the tree, and the daub placed on the 
paper. If trees are matured and the bark is rough, 
good grease will not injure the tree. 
“ 5. Trees where grea'e-proof paper is used will 
not require so much grease, as the paper prevents the 
bark from absorbing it. If all the trees were banded 
with paper, it is probable that the faving of the cost 
of grease would be an equivalent for the cost of paper 
banding. 
6. Grease may be applied with the hand, or a thin 
flat piece of weed, or a smaU brush; in either case 
put on a thick layer of the grease. 
“7. Grease banding should not be delayed after 
the second week in October, and will require atten- 
tion until the end of November. 
“ 8. Tbe appearance of the moth may be known by 
taking out a light in the dusk of the evening when 
the male moth, if any are present, may be seen. If 
no male moths are seen, jou need not trouble to 
grease-band the trees. 
“ 9. Do not be discouraged if, after all your pains, 
some caterpillars are found ; when numerous they are 
not to be exterminated iu one season.” — Gardenin’ 
Qhroiiicle, 
